The Chaotic Life of Lily Evans and Company
by ponygirl004
Summary: This is the story of Lily Evans. See how she handles school, making (and breaking) friendships and relationships, and the ever present James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. Starts in 1st, skips 3rd-4th and picks up again in 5th
1. Lily's Enlightenment

Thump thump thump thump thump thump THUD!  
"Lillian Evans!" a shrill voice screeched from somewhere down a white walled hallway. "If you don't shut the bloody hell up I'll come out there and give you the worst walloping you ever had!" A petite redhead stopped on the landing, sighed, and proceeded to go apologize to her sister for making "such a racket".  
"Petunia Evans!" bellowed a deep, intimidating voice from even farther down the hall. A deaf man could even recognize that the man speaking was angry. "If I have to put up with one more word from your foul and dirty vocabulary I will see to it that YOU get the worst walloping you have ever had!" The redhead grinned satisfactorily. Serves her right! she thought with a small chuckle.  
"Lily, dear, could you come here for a quick word?" This time the voice belonged to a woman and was soft and so gentle that it made a summer breeze seem like hurricane worthy winds. The redhead sighed again and made her way back up the stairs, taking her time, so as to prolong the lecture that was surely awaiting her at the master bedroom at the end of the hall.  
Maria and Howard Evans looked up from their bed to see the tiny figure of their youngest daughter, Lily, appear in the French doorway.  
"Lily, sweetheart, come sit on Daddy's lap for a moment." said the man with dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. The child being spoken to padded her way across the expanse of hard wood floor and hopped energetically onto her father's lap. Lily gave her father a small smile and his heart melted. There was no denying it...she was a Daddy's girl.  
"Daddy, I'm really sorry that I woke you up, but I have to do something really important!" said the soon to be eleven year old girl. Her shockingly green eyes peered into her father's face, filled to the brim with sincerity.  
"Oh pumpkin!" he said using his affectionate nickname for his daughter. "It's all right, I don't mind being woken up a bit early." His wife, Maria, snorted at the phrase "a bit early" seeing as how it was four thirty in the morning.  
Lily grinned at her father and gave him as big of a hug as she could muster with her ten year old arms.  
"One thing Lily," the soft voice was coated in a warm Irish accent that couldn't be mistaken. "Next time you feel the need to wake up at such an early hour, do try to keep your stair descending as quiet as possible so as not to wake Petty." Her mother's tone was gentle as ever but Lily knew that next time she woke up her sister this early there would be consequences.  
"No problem, mum!" said Lily giggling as her father's mustache tickled her as she received a kiss. Lily proceeded bounce off her parent's bed and tiptoe down the hall when she was called back into her parent's room by her mother's voice calling "One more thing, Lily!"  
"Yes, mum?" Lily responded, peering around one of the French doors of her parent's bedroom.  
"What was so important that you had to wake up this early in the mornin'?" Maria questioned.  
It was with a cheeky grin and a small wink that Lily said "You have to wait and see!" This time is was her father who called her back in.  
  
"Lily...I don't want to "wait and see". I want to know what you are planning on doing right now." Lily's face fell at her father's words.  
"But then it won't be a surprise!" she wined.  
"Little Lil', you weren't planning on making pancakes again...were you?" her mother questioned with a rather nervous expression on her face.  
Lily giggled.  
"Lily, no. You nearly set the house on fire last time you tried to do it by yourself! You won't be able to do it...." her father said sternly. Lily looked near tears. She had been planning on giving her parents breakfast in bed, but they had ruined her wonderful surprise. She heard her mother sigh.  
"Lily, you won't be able to do it unless I help you. So go get out the ingredients and I will wash up and put on a robe. Hurry up now!" Lily's eyes nearly disappeared she smiled so big!  
"Thanks, mummy!" she cried already half way down the hall.  
"So much for sleeping in today." Maria mumbled looking at the clock. It's glowing red numbers were telling her the depressing time of ten minutes after five. "This could be a long day."  
  
Lily accidentally dropped the first bowl of batter on the tile floor ("Lily hold on to the bowl!! CRASH! Oh Lily.") and accidentally put baking powder instead of flour in the second batch. Luckily Mrs. Evans realized what her daughter had done. However, the third bath of batter turned out perfectly fine. So it came to be that nearly two and a half hours later the Evans family was sitting down to a "scandalously early" (Petunia's words) breakfast of golden pancakes, with Lily beaming every time someone asked for some more.  
Mr. Evans had just finished declaring that he wouldn't be able to eat for a week when a large tawny owl landed on the porch railing and looked expectantly with huge amber eyes into the kitchen window, as if asking so come inside. Lily gave a small oohh of wonder and opened the sliding door from the kitchen to outside so that she could go inspect the owl more closely when (much to Petunia's horror) the bird came soaring inside and landed neatly on the back of the chair that Lily had been previously sitting in.  
"Mum! Look at it! Isn't it gorgeous?" Lily cooed. At this statement the owl ruffled it's feathers a bit and put an unmistakably dignified look on it's face.  
"It certainly is beautiful, but I doubt it wants to spend all day in our kitchen. Howard will you try to shoo it back outside?" As soon as the words "shoo it back outside" had left Mrs. Evans' mouth the owl shot her what was surely a reproachful look.  
"Daddy, wait! There is something tied to it's leg!" cried Lily. She immediately made her way to the owl.  
"Lily, don't touch it! It probably isn't used to humans!" cried her mother. Petunia added that the beast was probably "frightfully dirty!" but it was too late. Lily was already petting the owl softly on it's head and cooing compliments of it's beauty. Howard and Maria looked astonished while Petunia looked disgusted.  
"Now then, let's get this thing off your leg!" said Lily untying the string that fastened what appeared to be a letter to the bird's leg. Then, without thinking, Lily ripped off a piece of her pancake and offered it to the owl, who, much to her surprise took it delicately from her hand and began to nibble on it. Once it had finished it's much appreciated treat the owl flew out the sliding door which was still open from when Lily had first gone out to see the bird.  
"It's a letter." Lily stated dumbly. She was looking down at a thick and heavy envelope made of yellowish parchment. Funny, she thought, there's no stamp. Then again it's a bit funnier that an owl delivered it to me.  
"Who's it addressed to?" her father asked, also lacking his usual wit.  
"Me." said Lily in the same awestruck voice.  
"Well, there's no use in just standing here gawdeling at it all day. Hand it here Lily." her mother said regaining her composure. Maria reached across the table and Lily gently placed the letter into her mother's hand, as if afraid if it wasn't handled with utmost carefulness it would crumble into ash.  
Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked down at the letter and sure enough, in emerald green ink was the address  
  
Miss L. Evans  
Second bedroom on the Right  
26 Stony Lane  
Little Whinging  
Surrey  
  
"Can I read it?" Lily question, beginning to get excited.  
"Well I don't see why not!" her father said. He passed the letter in front of Petunia to Lily. Lily had to stifle a giggle for as the letter passed in front of Petunia's face her face became twisted with a mixture of fear and disgust and tilted her chair so far back that Lily was almost certain that she would crash to the floor. Lily gave an inward sigh of disappointment when Petunia successfully brought her chair back down on all fours with her bottom still firmly planted in the seat.  
Lily focused her attention back on the letter. She turned it over and saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter H. She carefully broke the seal and pulled out a letter and read out loud,  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
  
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore  
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,  
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)  
  
Dear Miss Evans,  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted  
at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please  
find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.  
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no  
later than July 31.  
Yours Sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
Next Lily pulled out what appeared to be a supply list and read aloud  
  
HOGWARTS SCHOOL  
of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY  
  
UNIFORM  
First year students will require:  
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)  
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear  
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)  
4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupils' clothing should carry name tags  
  
COURSE BOOKS  
All students should have a copy of each of the following:  
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)  
by Miranda Goshhawk  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
A Beginners' Guise to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
One Thousand Herbs and Fungi  
by Phyillida Spore  
Magical Drafts And Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them  
By Newt Scamander  
The Dark Forces: A guide to Self-Protection  
by Quentin Trimble  
  
OTHER EQUIPMENT  
1 wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad  
  
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS  
  
Lily stopped reading at the conclusion of the list and sat in a awed silence.  
"This has to be a joke." said Mrs. Evans.  
"A joke?" replied Mr. "You think someone would train an owl to deliver letters, make up all these book names and go through all this trouble for a joke? Come now, Maria, I think we may be looking at a little witch right here." He said gesturing to Lily in an offhand sort of way.  
"It's too absurd, Howard, but I just can't believe that such a school actually exists." Maria countered.  
"But we don't have any proof that it doesn't exist." Howard said stubbornly. Maria gave what was obviously an irritated sigh.  
"Let's just pretend for one moment that this school does exist and that none of this is a joke. Where would we find the things on that list anyway? Hmm, Howard? You don't seem to have given that much thought." said Maria giving Howard a reprimanding look. Howard was just opening his mouth to respond when another owl came soaring through the still open sliding door. Lily soundlessly untied the letter, opened it, and began to read.  
  
Dear Ms. Evans,  
In response to your inquiry about the location of  
purchasing the items on your school list we have sent  
you directions and instructions enclosed in this letter on  
how to get to one of the many wizarding shopping  
communities. For your assistance we will be sending a  
ministry official to your home to give you a rough outline  
of the wizarding community.  
Yours Sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Minerva McGonagall,  
Deputy Headmistress  
"How on earth did they know that I had just asked that?" questioned Mrs. Evans, with the slightest tone of fear hinted in her voice.  
"When will this "ministry official" be getting here?" asked Mr. Evans eagerly. As if in response to his question, the doorbell rang not three seconds after the words left his mouth. Petunia gave a shriek of terror and bolted up the stairs. Lily and her parents heard a door slamming from the upper level of their colonial home.  
"Now really, I know this has come to a shock, but that seemed a bit unnecessary!" said Mr. Evans in response to his oldest daughter's reaction.  
  
"I'll get the door!" said Lily, remembering that someone was waiting outside.  
"Lily! Let your father answer it!" her mother cried a second too late. Lily had just opened the door and was standing face to face with a tall, gangly man dressed in a navy blue suit, holding a dark leather briefcase with golden snaps. His brown eyes twinkled merrily behind his circular glasses. He offered her a large, toothy grin and offered his hand to her by means of greeting.  
"Well hello there! You must be Lily! My name's Mr. Winstead!" Lily smiled shyly and shook his hand. "I'm sure you're just bursting to the rim with questions!" Lily nodded, but didn't voice any of them.  
"Ah, you must be Howard Evans!" said Mr. Winstead, putting his briefcase in the other hand and shaking Howard's hand. "And you must be Maria Evans!" This time he went down on one knee and kissed the hand she had offered him. Lily giggled while Mr. Evans just looked surprised. Mrs. Evans appeared to be worried about the man's mental health. Lily now started laughing full out.  
"Oh dear, I've dont somethign wrong haven't I?" said Mr. Winstead taking a piece of paper out of his briefcase and skimming over it. "No, it says right here that when a gentleman greets a lady he is to drop to one knee and bestow a kiss upon her hand!"  
"Er, Mr. Winstead, was it?" said Mrs. Evans, in an overly cheery voice. "May I see that paper for a moment?" Mr. Winstead obliged soundlessly. "Well now here is your problem!" said Maria, clearly relieved. "This paper describes the customs of people used in the 1800s."  
"Really now! And to think! Everyone at Muggle Relations has been using out of date customs information!" he exclaimed more to himself than anyone else.  
"Muggle?" said Mr. Evans, confusion etched all over his face.  
"That's the wizarding word for someone who doesn't have any magic in them." explained Mr. Winstead, obviously more comfortable now that he knew what he was talking about.  
"So I take it you are the "ministry official" who is being sent to your home?" asked Mrs. Evans with a warm smile.  
"That I am." He replied, puffing out his chest a bit as he said so. "Now Lily, first off I need to ask you somethign very important. Hogwarts is the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry, and it is also a boarding school. If you choose to go to Hogwarts and your parents allow you to, then you will have to be prepared to spend quite a bit of time away from home. Will you be able to do that?" Lily looked at her mother and father with a pining look then put on a face of utmost courage and replied,  
"Yes, I will."  
"That's a girl!" exclaimed Mr. Winstead proudly.  
"Excuse me, sir, but before I ship my daughter off to some school that I have never heard to be taught by people I have never met I would like to know just exactly what she will be being taught. Because if this is just a school to teach her how to make cards disappear and other hoaxes such as that then I'll not have her going." said Mr. Evans with the sternest voice he could muster. Mr. Winstead backed down a bit, out of fear of Howard or respect for him, Lily would never know. However he quickly regained his composure and put on a cheery smile.  
"Well she will be learning how make things disappear, such as herself. There are 4 main subjects at Hogwarts. They are Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts. Those are the four building blocks of every witch and wizards education. Lily will have these classes and only these classes for her first two out of seven years at Hogwarts. In her third year she will be able to choose more classes such as Divination, Arithmacy, and Muggle Studies. She will also have mandatory classes added to her schedule such as Care of Magical Creatures and Astronomy. But school will not be all learning and no fun!" at this statement he winked at Lily. "Thoughout the year there will be games of Quidditch, which is the wizarding sport played on broomsticks. These games are played by the house teams. In Hogwarts there are four houses which Lily might be sorted into. They are Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin. I will let you make your opinions about each as you learn more about the wizarding world, Lily. Once Lily becomes a third year she will also be able to visit the wizarding village located near the school, Hogsmead. But you'll learn all about that from Lily as time wears on. Please ask questions as I am sure that I missed something." This time is was Mrs. Evans who questioned Mr. Winstead, though not nearly as ferociously as her husband had.  
"How does the boarding system work? Will Lily be living in a seperate building from which her classes take place in?"  
"Well, no. It's not a seperate building, but it might as well be with enormous amount of space in the castle. You see Hogwarts is a castle built by the four of the greatest witches and wizards of their time. They were Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Helga Hufflepuff, and Salazar Slytherin. They used their immmense knowledge to build Hogwarts as a school for young witches and wizards to learn in. But this isn't a history lesson, so I'll get on with describing the castle. I'm not quite sure how many floors there are, at least twenty, I know that much. There are towers that could fit your home with room to spare, and there are others which only one person can fit in at a time. The staircases are a wonder in their own. They move and have vanishing steps. And the hidden passages! There are some that I am sure have never even been discovered. My friends, Hogwarts is a world of its own. It defies any laws that you have ever known, and is often said to be smarter than the smartest man alive. I assure you that Lily will be quite well taken care of at Hogwarts." he finished up proudly.  
"Mum, Daddy, I need to go there." Lily stated to her parents.  
"We'll see Lily." said her father.  
"Actually, I don't mean to rush you but you need to decide if Lily wil be attending Hogwarts quite soon. If she is to go then we still have to bring her to Diagon Alley so she can get her supplies. If she is not to go then...well I'll need to take certain steps to ensure that this decision won't, stay on your mind for too long, shall we say." Mr. Winstead finished up hastily.  
"Mr. Winstead, please make yourself at home. Lily, Howard, and I really must discuss this privately." said Maria nudging her daughter and husband through the kitchen and into the dining room.  
"Lily, I don't know if I want you going there..." Maria started. Howard nodded in agreement.  
"I have to go. You don't understand. I just feel like now that I know what I am and where I should be I will never be able to go back to my naive life!" Lily stated this with such passion that her parents shared one hopeless look and knew that their daughter would be attending Hogwarts. They walked (skipped in Lily's case) back into the room that Mr. Winstead was currently occupying to find him examining the lamp with utmost interest. Mr. Evans cleared his throat and Mr. Winstead snapped his head up so fast that he knocked it on the lamp shade casing the entire light to fall to the ground with a resounding shatter.  
"Oh Merlin! I'm so sorry!" Mr. Winstead began to apologize feverishly.  
"No, no, it's all right, really, I'll just go grab the dustpan and broom." said Mrs. Evans already striding her way purposefully towards the broom cuboard.  
"Oh really, there's no need to do that!" said Mr. Winstead.  
"Well, I can't just let it sit there now can I?" said Maria, turning around with a smile. Whatever she expected to see, Mr. Winstead standing there holding a stick was not it. "Mr. Winstead, may I ask why you are holding that stick?" she asked curiously. After a small chuckle Mr. Winstead replied that it was not at all a stick but a magic wand. Lily gave a gasp of surprise.  
"A real magic wand?" she asked, breathlessly. "Are you going to do magic?" she asked, her green eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.  
"Yes I am, little missy." said Mr. Winstead with another chuckle. With a small swish of his wand and a muttered "Reparo" the lamp was back on the table. Anyone who had not seen the lamp shatter would have said that it looked good as new, which it did.  
"Well then!" was Mr. Evans's exclamation, staring at the floor where the lamp had previously rested to the table on which it resided now. "I suppose we'll be needing to get Lily her supplies, eh?" he said with a grin.  
"That we will!" said Mr. Winstead obviously pleased with their decision to let Lily attend Hogwarts. "I'll just give Lily some time to neaten herself up a bit, then we'll be on our way!" he said giving Lily a wink and a smile.  
"What? Oh!" said Lily just realising she was still in her pajamas. With a slight blush she raced up the stairs.  
I cant't believe this is happeneing! she thought, brushing her hair. I am a witch. A real, magical, living witch! Lily quickly picked out a pair of dark jeans and a sea-green short sleeve shirt, slipped on a pair of sport sandals, and swept her thick, dark, red hair into a low ponytail. She grinned at her reflection in her full length mirror and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She knocked on Petunia's door to ask her if she would like to come shopping with them. Petunia assured her that it would be alright and she would stay behind this time. Oh well, her loss thought Lily. Once she was done she ran down the hall and down the stairs. Her parents looked expectantly up and her and Mr. Winstead gave her a large smile. She smiled at them and jumped the last three steps heading for the door. Her parents grabbed their wallets, and Mr. Winstead picked up his briefcase.  
"We all ready?" asked Mr.Winstead. He received three nods from the Evans's and opened the front door to a glorious day. The day matches my mood! thought Lily with a giant grin. My life just got a whole lot better! 


	2. Meeting the Marauders

"Ah! This is it, The Leaky Cauldron. It's a famous place, most well known entrance to Diagon Alley." Lily, Howard, and Maria Evans had been traveling for about a half hour with a representative from the Ministry of Magic who was from the Muggle Relations branch whose name was Mr. Winstead. Of course, yesterday Lily had no idea there was such a thing as the Ministry of Magic existed and couldn't tell you what a muggle was to save her life. She could now see, plain as daylight, a tiny, grubbly-looking pub called the Leaky Cauldron. Apparently her parents weren't having the same luck.  
"Mr. Winstead, I see no Leaky Cauldron." Howard Evans said, quite bewildered.  
"Nor do I, Mr. Winstead, nor do I." said Maria Evans, squinting around at the surrounding shops as if she looked hard enough she would suddenly see the pub.  
"I see it." Lily said staring at the door in front of her.  
"Dear me! I completely forgot! This place has muggle-protection charms all over it so that muggles don't come wandering into Diagon Alley. That'd be quite a shock for them now wouldn't it, eh?" Mr. Winstead said to Howard. Perhaps if Lily's father had been able to see the pub that was directly in front of him he also would have been able to see the humor in the situation, but as he could not locate the former he was having some problems seeing the latter.  
"If I may ask you to simply drink these potions then you will be able to see and interact with the magical community for eight or nine hours. There you go, good chaps!" Mr. Winstead had handed Mr. and Mrs. Evans two identical glass vials containing dark violet liquid. They uncorked the tiny bottles and swallowed the bottles' substances in one go. They blinked a few times then gasped. Lily suspected the door to the Leaky Cauldron has just revealed itself. In her shock, Mrs. Evans dropped her the miniscule glass bottle. Lily cringed with eyes tightly shut waiting for the delicate sound of shattering glass to reach her ears, but it never did. She opened her eyes to see the little bottle sitting in one piece on the ground beside her. That's impossible, it fell a good four feet! It had to shatter! thought Lily looking in awe at the bottle. She saw a large hand come into view and pick it up. Lily looked up at Mr. Winstead and saw him throw the bottle up into the air and catch it again.  
"It's called unbreakable glass." He said. "No matter how far you drop it it'll never break. These two particular vials are also expandable so they can fit as much or as little liquid in them as you desire. They're quit handy. You should think about picking up one or two yourself Lily."  
"Not to be rude, Mr. Winstead but don't we have to get into Diagon Alley in order to buy things?" Lily said with a small smile.  
"Right you are, Lily!" with that they all filed one by one into the Leaky Cauldron. For a famous place it's not too cheery thought Lily observing the dark and shabby interior of the pub.  
"Hello, Tom! I'll be coming back in a few moments to get the usual and chit chat but right now I'm escorting young Lily Evans and her parents Howard and Maria into Diagon Alley. Archie, I need to talk to you about the latest report! Oh! Sheryl, there you are, I was afraid I wasn't going to find you. It's awfully busy today." Mr. Winstead pecked the last person he addressed on the lips and waved two children over. Lily groaned inwardly as she saw a girl who looked about her age approaching. She looked exactly like the type of girls who used to tease Lily about having carrot hair and celery eyes. I thought I was going to escape all that here she thought dejectedly. Mr. Winstead beamed at the Evans family.  
"Howard, Maria, Lily, this is my wife, Sheryl," the woman who he had kissed smiled to reveal perfectly even teeth. Her hazel eyes were warm and her medium brown hair was pulled back in a neat ponytail.  
"You must be the muggle family that my Jack is showing around Diagon Alley today!" Lily was about to question who Jack was when it occurred to her that it must be Mr. Winstead's first name. "I hope my husband hasn't interrogated you too much on muggle devices. It's a bit of a problem he has!" Sheryl whispered the last sentence in a joking way and Lily immediately became fond of her.  
"Nonsense, Sheryl! I was perfectly well behaved, excusing that 1800s bit," Mr. Winstead said winking at Lily and her parents. They all laughed a bit then Jack continued. "And these are my children Matthew," he gestured to a tall and well built boy with dark brown eyes and almost black hair to his right. Matthew gave a small wave and smiled revealing yet another set of even teeth. Three out of four. This family is either friends with an orthodontist or have impeccable teeth in their genes thought Lily. "Matthew is a fourth year student at Beauxbatons. It's another wizarding school in France." Mr. Winstead explained. "and this," he said gesturing to the girl, "is Isadora. She's your age Lily, about to start her first year at Hogwarts." Isadora smiled. Four out of four thought Lily. Her eyes were the color of the sweetest blue of hyacinths and sparkled despite the gloomy interior of the pub. Her maple syrup brown hair seemed to glow on its own. She's so pretty, she'll never want to be friends with me thought Lily gloomily.  
"I swear, Jack, if you call me Isadora one more time I'll disown you!" she said while beaming affectionately at her father. Lily's jaw almost dropped. She was expecting this girl's voice to be stuck up and prissy. Much to her surprise it was bubbling over with excitement and energy. "Lily, I'm going to beg you to call me Izzie, I detest the name Isadora as it makes me feel like a boat." Lily laughed and immediately felt comfortable with this new, joking girl.  
"All right, all right!" said Jack, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Izzie," he put extra emphasis on the word, "would you like to show Lily around Diagon Alley while Sheryl and I show Mr. and Mrs. Evans around?"  
"Will do, captain!" said Izzie with a laugh.  
"Sweetheart, be a peach and bring Matty with you until he finds his friends from Beauxbatons. Won't you?" asked Sheryl.  
"Oh thanks, Sheryl! You make me sound like an old discarded toy that has to be carried until it can be thrown out!" said Matthew putting on a hurt look. Lily could easily tell he was joking.  
"I don't mean it like that, and you know it!" said Sheryl laughing. "Now the lot of you get on before my hair starts falling out!" Izzie was in the process of leading Lily and Matthew to the back exit of the pub when they were called back by Mr. Winstead.  
"Howard or Maria, you will need to give Lily money to buy her school supplies with. Of course, she'll need to stop at Gringotts, the wizard bank, and exchange her money first." said Jack. Howard took out his wallet and handed Lily a hefty sum of money. Lily looked at her father in awe.  
"Get yourself a nice congratulations present from your mother and I." he said smiling at his youngest daughter.  
"When you're done with all your shopping everyone will kindly meet up at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor. " said Sheryl looking at her gold watch.  
"OK, Sheryl. Can we go now?" asked Izzie, obviously impatient to get going. Without waiting for an answer she grabbed Lily's hand and brought her to the back of the shop.  
"Matt, do the honors." said Izzie crossing her arms. Lily couldn't begin to imagine what honors Izzie was talking about because all that was in front of them was a brick wall and a couple of trashcans. Matt pulled his wand out of his back pocket.  
"Three up...two across..." he muttered. He tapped the wall three times with the tip of his wand. The brick he had touched quivered and wriggled until a small hole appeared in the center of it. It widened and a second later they were facing an giant archway. Peering over Matt's shoulder, which was quite hard as he was very tall, Lily saw a cobbled street that winded and twisted out of sight.  
"Well, Lily, this is Diagon Alley." Izzie said smiling. They stepped through the archway and Lily glanced over her shoulder to see the archway shrinking until it disappeared. Lily's eyes widened so that she could take in all the amazing sights around her. There were shops containing everything and anything that anyone could imagine. Cauldron shops, Apothecaries, Eeylopes Owl Emporium, Quality Quidditch Supplies, Madam Milkin's Robes for all Occasions, and Charlie's Chocolates. There were too many things for Lily to take in. She had to use almost all of her self restraint to stop herself from leaping into every store.  
Lily felt a slight tug on her sleeve and she realized that Izzie and Matt had stopped in front of a snowy white building that towered over the rest. It seemed as if when all the young buildings were playing hide and go seek this gigantic structure got separated from its' friends and decided to stay with the smaller shops.  
"Lily, stay close to me and don't touch anything!" said Izzie. Lily nodded her head as they passed what was surely a goblin.  
"Is that-?" she began to question.  
"Yes." Matt cut her off glancing at the creatures they were passing. After one frightening chat with a goblin at the high counter, Izzie did most of the talking, Lily has all her familiar pound notes exchanged for golden galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts. It took a bit of reminding from Matt and Izzie but Lily soon had the currency system down.  
  
"Where do we go now?" asked Lily, pulling her supply list out of her jeans pocket.  
"Best be off to Madam Milkin's," replied Izzie, "before it gets too crowded."  
"So Matt," Lily started, "why don't you attend Hogwarts?" Matt smiled at her and began.  
"Well back in my day," ("You're fourteen, not forty!"-Izzie) Matt grinned, "Back in my day Hogwarts had a student exchange program. Once you reached third year the top four student sin the class were offered the opportunity to study abroad. I accepted, being number two in my class. I had the choice of going to Durmstrang or Beauxbatons. Seeing how Durmstrang is known for is bad magic and deep interest in the dark arts I decided I'd be best to keep my nose out of there and went to Beauxbatons. Now, usually the exchange students come back to finish their schooling at their original schools, but I was in love with Beauxbatons and couldn't bare to go back to Hogwarts, now that I considered Beauxbatons my home. So Dumbledore, and my parents made some arrangements and I now get to go to Beauxbatons every year." Matt finished up with a content look on his face.  
"In other words," Izzie said, "he's a Hogwarts traitor!" she, Lily, and Matt all laughed until they reached Madam Milkin's. They all got fitted and purchased their robes and cloaks. The trio continued down the list until Lily had everything except for her wand and an owl, which Izzie assured her she would need in order to be kept up to date on home happenings. Matt split off from Izzie and Lily when he saw a group of his Beauxbatons friends. So it came to be that Lily and Izzie entered Ollivander's wand shop alone.  
"I was with Matty when eh got his wand but I don't remember a thing about it." said Izzie in a hushed voice. Rows upon rows of boxes occupied the shelves in the store. In fact, they seemed to be like some sort over overactive fungi as the mounds of boxes had begun to inhabit the floor, chairs, and desk in the front room.  
"Is anyone here?" Lily whispered to Izzie. There were no signs saying to keep quiet, nobody shushing them to keep their voices low, it was just the sort of place that you whispered in. Besides, Lily thought, if all those wands decided to gang up on me for being too loud I'd never make it out alive!  
"Good afternoon." said a soft voice. The girls subconsciously grabbed each other's hands. An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like moons through the gloom of the shop.  
"Er, hi." said Lily.  
"Lily Evans." he stated while his pale eyes swept over her as if checking her for flaws. Once he was satisfied with her his creepy eyes moved on to Izzie. "And Isadora Winstead, but unless I am much mistaken, you like to be called Izzie. Do you not?" he questioned her.  
"Yes, sir" she mumbled looking down and scuffing her sneaker against the dusty, wooden floor.  
"Well, Miss Evans, we'll start with you." he clapped once and a tape measure that Lily had not noticed sprang to life and began to measure her in every way imaginable. Mr. Ollivander picked up her right arm and examined it.  
"Interesting, very interesting..." he mumbled. The way he said it, Lily couldn't be sure if he was talking to her or the wands that infested the shelves. "Well, I will find the match for you!" he cried so suddenly that Lily almost jumped back. "Or rather, the wand will find its' way to you." he said peering into her eyes. Lily was lost in those silvery, pale orbs. She couldn't look away even if she wanted to. Finally, Mr. Ollivander snapped his head to the side and began to scour the shelves for a box.  
"It must be here. It must be here." he repeated to himself. He disappeared into the back of the shop so that Lily could no longer see him but still hear him chanting "It must be here. It must be here." Just as Lily was about to back out of the store Mr. Ollivander exclaimed, "Ah-hah! I knew it was in here!" and came shuffling back into sight holding a box so dusty Lily couldn't even decipher the original color of it.  
Mr. Ollivander handed Lily the wand and said in that soft voice of his, "Ten and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm work."  
Lily grasped the wand and felt warmth flood through her veins. It was like her blood had just warmed up after she had stepped into a blizzard. She sighed feeling quite content just to sit there holding the wand firmly in her hand. But no. That Ollivander man told her to swish it around. So, feeling quite foolish, Lily brought her arm above her head and let it come flying down. Much to her shock, Red and gold fireworks seemed to explode from the tip of her wand. Izzie clapped and grinned like a maniac. Lily beamed at Mr. Ollivander while he smiled proudly at her, the look on his face reminded Lily of the same one her father wore when she sang at the Christmas recital three years ago.  
"Miss Winstead, time to let a wand make its way to you." said Mr. Ollivander directing his attention to Izzie.  
"OK! Lily, why don't you go into the shop across the street? I think you'll like it in there." said Izzie pointing out the front window. "Just leave your cauldron here."  
"OK, meet up with me once you're done getting your wand." replied Lily, already opening the door to leave the wand shop. She quickly crossed the street and looked up to see a soft yellow sign baring the words Gretel's Glass and Gifts. Lily entered the store and heard a small bell ring. Glancing above her, she saw a small bell attached to the door. Lily directed her attention back to the contents of the shop and gasped. In glass cases and high tables all around her were gorgeous glass figurines and delicate crystal bottles. But what the table that drew Lily to it was made of dark cherry wood, polished so brightly she could almost see her reflection. On it were spun glass spheres of all sizes, each of them containing different colored smoke. To her right Lily saw a sign reading,  
Finest Unbreakable Glass in Europe.  
Custom made to your likings.  
  
Lily glanced around and saw that she was the only person in the shop. Strange, no shop keeper, either she thought. One of the glass balls twinkled at her and her eyes focused on it. The smoke inside sparkled merrily. Lily glanced around once more and, assured that nobody was going to scold her, picked up the twinkling ball. The smoke immediately turned a dark blue. Just then, she heard the bell ring again. She spun around to look at the door, but saw no one. Lily turned around several times, but still saw nobody else in the store. Weird, maybe I was imagining things, she thought. Looking back at the sphere still clutched tightly in her hand, she heard the bell ring again. I didn't imagine that, she thought and spun around once more to face the entrance. This time Izzie was standing there clutching her wand and grinning.  
"What've you got there?" she questioned, walking over to the table Lily was standing beside.  
"I'm not quite sure what they are, but they're made of unbreakable glass. Watch!" said Lily holding the blue filled ball out in front of her and letting it drop. Izzie gasped and cried,  
"No, Lily!" her eyes widened as the sphere sped faster and faster towards the wooden floor where she knew it would shatter. Lily looked away from the ball to stare at Izzie's horrified face. She looked back down expecting to see the ball laying on the ground, in one piece, but instead saw a boy laying on the floor with messy black hair that stuck up in the back, hazel eyes, round spectacles, and a goofy grin on his face. In his hand was the ball, though the smoke inside had now turned a baby pink, as had his cheeks when he saw the smoke. He stood, brushed himself off, and extended his hand towards Lily. When standing his height was greater than her own by a few inches.  
"The name's James Potter. Who are you?" he asked shaking Lily's hand. She blinked a few times and replaced the confused look on her face with a smile.  
"I'm Lily Evans. This is-" she was cut off by James, who grinned and said,  
"Izzie Winstead. Long time no see." Izzie rolled her eyes and smiled at Lily.  
"James and I have known each other for practically as long as I can remember, which isn't necessarily a good thing. Our parents entertain the same circle of friends." Izzie explained to Lily.  
"Ah, I see." replied Lily. Now she turned to James, "Mind telling me why you made such a gallant effort to catch the ball? It wouldn't have broken."  
  
"But it would have. These balls aren't made of unbreakable glass. They're called Verax Spheres. When you hold them the smoke color changes to match your mood. Since it works like an emotional mirror, breaking it means seven years bad luck." James said gently placing the ball back in its holder on the table.  
"Oh, wow! Well, thanks then!" said Lily staring at the ball.  
"What all that nonsense really means is that Jamsie here is your knight in shining armor! You owe him your life." came a sarcastic and witty voice behind Lily. She turned around and found herself face to face with three other boys. The one who had spoken was about the same height as James, except his eyes were the color of dark chocolate. His hair was also dark, though it wasn't black, instead it was the darkest brown Lily had ever seen. His olive skin contained two dimples that stood out boldly while he smiled. Next to him was another boy, only slightly shorter, who had sandy, light, brown hair, and light blue eyes. He was also smiling, though his looked slightly forced, as if it hurt him a little to do it. On the other side of the dark haired boy was a short, mousy looking boy with watery blue eyes and light blonde hair.  
"Oh boy, the goof troop is here." said Izzie rolling here eyes, yet again. "Lily, this is Sirius Black," the boy with the olive skin bowed so that his hair fell into his eyes. After blowing it out of the way he said with a wink,  
"At your service my fair maiden." said Sirius with his doggish grin.  
"Remus Lupin," continued Izzie. The boy with light brown hair and blue eyes smile became more relaxed and waved slightly.  
"and Peter Pettigrew They call themselves the Marauders. Ask them why when you have some extra time." Izzie said gesturing to the last boy. He smiled at Lily revealing a tiny set of teeth that made Lily wonder if his teeth had grown since he was four.  
"Guys, this is Lily Evans. She's a muggle born and she's about to start Hogwarts this year." Izzie finished up.  
"My dear Izzie," Sirius stated in mock shock, "You mean to tell me that we will be spending seven whole years in this gorgeous creature's presence?" As he finished he over exaggeratedly motioned his hands toward Lily. Lily blushed and laughed thinking to herself that Sirius looked like an overgrown bird that didn't know how to fly.  
"Sirius stop it. You're going to take someone's eye out. That, and you look like an overgrown bird." Remus said with a sigh.  
"I was just thinking that!" Lily exclaimed, still laughing.  
"You'll have to excuse Sirius, he got hit one too many times in the head with a bludger, if you know what I mean." said James, smiling at Lily and leading her out of the shop. Izzie, Remus, and Peter followed them out.  
"Actually, I don't know what you mean." said Lily perplexed. "What's a bludger?"  
"Sirius, get out of that shop before you break something!" called Izzie. Sirius came bounding out of the store and jumped onto Izzie's back, knocking her to the ground. "Get off you great goon!"  
"Oops! I'm pretty daft sometimes." said James stepping calmly over Izzie and Sirius who had landed in front of him and Lily. Lily followed his example and stepped over them as well, though with not nearly as much ease since her legs were shorter. "A bludger is one of the balls used in Quidditch."  
"What's Quidditch?" asked Lily.  
"Patient, flower! I'm getting to that. Where's your cauldron?" replied James.  
"Oh! Thanks for reminding me! Izzie and I left them in Ollivander's." said Lily smiling as her new knick-name. Sirius rolled off Izzie and bounced towards Lily.  
"You left your cauldron's in Ollivander's? Want me to go get them?" asked Sirius, already heading towards the wand shop.  
"Sure." said Lily, speaking for herself and Izzie.  
"Good for nothing little prat. I hope he breaks his leg on our cauldrons." said Izzie brushing some dirt off herself. Lily and Remus grinned at each other.  
"But you do know that he would make you carry him then, don't you?" said Peter. They all laughed because they knew what Peter spoke was true.  
"Anyway Lily, Quidditch is the wizarding sport played on broomsticks..." once James had finished explaining the rules and given Lily the low down on Quidditch (with frequent additions from Remus, Peter, and Izzie) he started looking around for something.  
"Lost something?" asked Lily. James grinned.  
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I have. He's about this tall, has dark hair and dark eyes and goes by the name of Sirius." said James. No sooner had the words left his mouth sis they hear what sounded like boxes falling. The next moment they saw Sirius sprinting out of Ollivander's holding Lily and Izzie's cauldrons with Ollivander chasing after him.  
"Come back here, Mr. Black! You knocked over those boxes now you are going to pick them up!" Mr. Ollivander yelled, shaking his fist at Sirius from the doorway of his shop.  
"Run!" shouted Sirius as he passed the group. They began sprinting after him and didn't stop until they were a good fourteen shops away from Ollivander's. They all bent over to catch their breath then began laughing hysterically.  
"What'd you do?" asked Remus, still panting slightly.  
"I just touched a box! It was begging me to! Then a whole stack of wands just collapsed." Sirius said, quilt etched all over his face.  
"The box that you touched didn't happen to have the words 'Do not touch' on it, did it Sirius?" asked Remus, now standing upright.  
"Maybe..." replied Sirius in a sly voice. "Guess we'll never know, will we?" with that he grinned and started walking away.  
"Sirius, wait! I still need to buy an owl!" cried Lily. Sirius turned back around, grabbed Lily's cauldron in one hand, Izzie's cauldron in the other, cried  
"Follow me, damsel in distress! I will show you where to find such a bird!" and walked into Eyelops Owl Emporium with the others not far behind. As they entered the shop Lily saw hundreds of jewel like eyes peering at her between the bars of numerous cages.  
"Which one do I choose?" exclaimed Lily walking around the shop and looking at the many different birds. Close to the back she saw the back of a bird. It seemed forlorn, facing the wall its' cage was next to. All the other birds were staring at her curiously as she passed whereas this one wouldn't even glance at her.  
"Hey, sweetie. What's wrong?" she asked the bird as if it could answer her. The shop owner came over to where Lily was standing. James glanced over at her.  
"Oh, ever since this bird's brother was sold he hasn't been very energetic. You probably want to look at one of our better birds. He's most likely going to be put down anyway. He's not good for anything other than a lawn ornament I'm afraid." said the shop keeper. Lily gasped. She couldn't let the poor thing be put down! The bird turned around and looked Lily in the eye. She gasped again, though this time it was out of awe. It's eyes were the same color as tropical waters. And it wasn't just any bird! It was a toucan! Lily simply had to get that bird!  
  
"How much does he cost?" Lily questioned.  
"Oh honey, you don't want him!" said the shopkeeper shaking her head.  
"How much does he cost?" Lily asked again, this time a stubborn tone shining through her voice. The shopkeeper sniffed disdainfully.  
"I'll give him to you for seven galleons since he's good for nothing." she replied.  
"I'll take him." Lily said picking up his cage. He's surprisingly light for such a large bird! she thought. Lily carried him over to the counter and pulled out her leather money bag that she had purchased earlier in the day. The shopkeeper walked behind the counter and folded her arms.  
"We have a special all this week. If you buy any bird then you have the option of a free three year subscription to the Daily Prophet. Would you like that?" asked the girl.  
"Yes, she'll take it." said Izzie. Then she turned to Lily. "It's a good deal. The Daily Prophet is the wizarding newspaper." Lily nodded her head, placed seven gold coins down on the counter, picked up her new bird and walked out of the story with the others in tow.  
"What are you going to name it, Lily?" asked Sirius with a mischievous glint in his eye.  
"No, Sirius, you can't name it. His name is going to be," Lily paused for a moment and looked into the bird's eyes. "His name is going to be Raleigh." she concluded smiling.  
"That's a cool name," said Peter. Lily glanced up and grinned at him.  
"Thanks Pete!" she said.  
"Lily, we really should get going to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor, you know, to meet out parents." said Izzie gesturing to her watch.  
"Yeah, we probably should." Lily said with disappointment. James slung his arm over her shoulder and said,  
"Don't sound do glum! You'll see us on the train!"  
"Yeah, and if you miss seeing my gorgeous face I'll send you pictures of me." said Sirius grinning.  
"I think the last thing she wants to see in a letter is your mug." said Remus rolling his eyes.  
"That's what you think." said Sirius smugly.  
"Good-bye boys!" said Izzie waving and walking away with Lily.  
"It was awesome meeting you guys!" Lily said. The last thing the four boys saw was a redhead and a honey blonde walking arm in arm around a corner, both carrying a cauldron and one carrying a large toucan, occasionally bumping each other on the side.  
"This is going to be a fun year, isn't it?" asked James shaking his head.  
"You can put your galleons on that one!" replied Sirius. 


	3. Hogwart's Express and Bumps on the Head

"Izzie, I don't know about this whole running through a wall thing." said Lily Evans glancing suspiciously at the brick wall she was supposedly going to pass through to get to the train. It was September 1st and Lily was standing with Izzie in front what was supposed to be Platform 9 and 3/4.  
  
"Lily! Don't worry! I've done it dozens of times with Matt! Besides you just saw both of our parents do it!" replied Izzie checking to see that everything was secure on her trolley. Lily gave an exasperated sigh and placed her toucan, Raleigh, onto her trolley.  
  
"Fine! I'll go through it, but if I get knocked out from hitting a SOLID wall then tell my parents that I give up on this magic stuff." Lily casually leaned against the barrier as she had seen Izzie's father do. Much to her surprise she fell right through the wall and landed with a thud on the ground. Mouth slightly open, she glanced up and saw a sign that said Hogwarts Express. Lily looked to her left and saw a scarlet steam engine with smoke billowing out of its top. Woah! thought Lily staring at the people milling about the platform. Since Lily was busy examining her surroundings she didn't notice Izzie and her trolley come careening through the barrier until the were both on top of her.  
  
"Oh gosh! Lily, I'm so sorry! I couldn't stop! Are you alright?" Izzie was kneeling next to the dazed redhead apologizing profusely. Lily's eyes took in the trunks, bird cages, and mess around her and she began to laugh.  
  
"I'm fine!" she managed to get out between fits.  
  
"Wow! That was so graceful!" said James Potter leaning down to lend Lily a hand. He grinned at her and began to load her things onto the train.  
  
"I know! If I didn't know that you had to be sane to join, I would recommend you two for ballet!" added Sirius, packing Izzie's things on the train while Remus helped her up. Peter grabbed the girls' bird cages and brought them into a compartment.  
  
"Where did you guys come from?" asked Lily once she had regained her breath.  
  
"Well you see Lillikins, when two people love each other very much a duck brings them a baby! My parents got lucky enough to have me!" said Sirius, finishing off with a proud grin. Lily began to laugh at his statement, though not for the reasons he thought she was laughing.  
  
"Sirius, muggles tell their children that babies come from storks, not ducks!" Lily was now clutching at a cramp in her side that had formed from laughing for too long.  
  
"What I think Sirius meant to say was that we arrived early to get a good compartment to ourselves." said Remus glancing exasperatedly at his friend. "We were just about to head back into the muggle part of the station to wait for you to arrive in case you needed help."  
  
"Well thanks guys, but the Winsteads already picked us up and brought us through." Lily replied, grateful that she had already met people who were so kind.  
  
Looking about her Lily saw children of all ages and parents to match. Standing off to the side by herself was a girl dressed in a fur cloak with light blonde hair tucked under a fur cap. She was standing with her back to Lily and the Marauders but Lily could see that she was holding a piece of parchment with a map and numbered sentences on it. The girl glanced down at the parchment then looked up and ran onto the train.  
  
"Poor girl," Peter's words made Lily realize that the rest of her friends has been looking at the fur clad girl as well. "I know I'd be terrified if I had to come to the station with only a map to tell me where to go and what to do. Nobody to see her off, she must be feeling pretty lonely."  
  
"I'm sure she'll find someone on the train." said Sirius in an offhand way. Lily glanced at him and saw that he was staring in the opposite direction. Everyone followed Sirius's gaze and saw it resting upon a boy with blonde hair and a cold look on his face. What Lily assumed to be his mother was wiping tears from her eyes while his father shoveled galleons upon galleons into the pouch he was holding.  
  
"What do you say we get on the train?" said James noticing the boy. Rounds of 'good idea' and 'let's hurry' came from Lily's friends. Everyone split off to their respective families and after many hugs, kisses, and in James and Sirius's case 'We better not hear that you've been wrecking havoc!' the six boarded the train and piled into a compartment near the front.  
  
After they had all settled in and the train started chugging along Lily began to interrogate the other five about their Hogwarts knowledge.  
  
"Well you see," said James "there are four houses. Each has its own qualities. For instance, all Slytherin are evil." Everybody laughed at this statement, though Lily worried if there was any chance of her being placed in Slytherin. "No no, I' just joking around. Slytherin are known for their slyness and cunning. Ravenclaw are pretty much the brainiacs and while Hufflepuffs are a bit slower, they are usually good at heart. Then there's Gryffindor, known for bravery and determination. Every person in the Potter line has been in Gryffindor."  
  
"Sounds like you've got something to live up to." said Lily.  
  
"You could say that, its more or less that my family is a bunch of generic clones." replied James with a grin. Lily and the others laughed again. Soon they began telling Lily about the rest of the magical world ('the pictures move?!') and she was reeling in all the new information. They were so caught up in their talking that they didn't even hear the compartment door slide open. It wasn't until Lily saw a head of blonde hair turning around to exit into the hallway that she looked up.  
  
"Hey! Wait!" she called to the figure. The girl paused and then turned around.  
  
"Yes?" her voice was coated in a Swiss accent and her eyes were a startling shade of blue. Everyone else turned their heads and stared at the newcomer.  
  
"You're the girl with the map!" said Peter excitedly, recognizing her fur coat.  
  
"Oh yeah!" said Izzie, realization dawning on her face. "Are you looking for somewhere to sit?"  
  
"Well I wouldn't want to be a bother." said the girl slowly, already turning back around to leave.  
  
"It wouldn't be a bother! We'd love to have you sit with us!" Remus was smiling in a gentle and friendly way. The girl looked at each smiling face and then smiled back shyly.  
  
"Alright, I was feeling kind of lost." She sat down next to Lily and took off her hat to reveal very shiny waves of blonde that cascaded down to the middle of her back.  
  
"Lost you are no longer!" said Sirius. "So then, what's your name?"  
  
"My name is Amathea Ludwegean." said the girl unbuttoning her thick cloak.  
  
"Amathea, its quirky! I like it!" said Izzie with a grin. "Well my name's Isadora and I like to be called Izzie. This is Lily Evans, that's Sirius Black, James Potter, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew. The boys call themselves the Marauders." said Izzie pointing to each person in turn. "So where do you come from to have such a cool accent?"  
  
At this question Amathea's fair skinned cheeks turned a shade darker than their normal soft pink.  
  
"My family lives on the Zugspitze Mountain on the Swiss border south of Germany. We own a ski resort there."  
  
"My family went skiing there once!" said James, "We stayed at Nueschweinstein! It was such a gorgeous castle."  
  
"I live in Nueschweinstein! It's belonged to my family for centuries!" replied Amathea, happy to be able to relate to someone.  
  
"Hold on a second, isn't Nueschweinstein a castle that the Crazy King Ludwig the fourteenth built?" asked Izzie, puzzled by the situation.  
  
"Yes, Ludwig was my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great- great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. A few generations after he died the family altered the name in order to keep muggles from tracking us as descendants and disturbing the castle." Amathea answered with promptness, and Lily figured she was asked about her home frequently.  
  
"That's a lot of greats." said Lily. "I think the farthest back my family tree goes is into the 6th generation or so."  
  
"You're kidding me!" said Sirius with a look of shock. "My family name traces back to the early middle ages!"  
  
"Mine too." said James.  
  
"My family as well." added Izzie.  
  
"Oh, well my family was never very prominent or anything..." Lily trailed off.  
  
"Its ok Lily," said Remus catching the dejected tone in Lily's voice, "Most muggle families don't place much importance on a family name anyways. In the wizarding world who you come from can mean a lot."  
  
"You're a muggle born?" asked Amathea with a look of slight shock on her face.  
  
"Yes, why?" Lily was afraid that Amathea might say that there was something wrong with muggle-borns.  
  
"Do you know the Disney castle?" the Swiss girl asked with an excited look on her face.  
  
"Of course, every kid does. Its in the magic kingdom and they show it at the beginning of every Disney movie. What about it?" Lily responded a bit thrown for a loop.  
  
"Nueschweinstein is the castle which the Disney castle is based off of! Muggle artists and designers were swarming the house for weeks when it was being sketched. There were quite a few memory modifications that were necessary." Amathea seemed to be under the impression that Lily knew what a memory modification was and Lily wasn't about to ask.  
  
"That's really neat, Amathea. Do you have any siblings who have gone to Hogwarts?" asked Peter.  
  
"No, I am the only Ludwegean descendant, but enough about me! I want to know all about you people!" answered Amathea, her blue eyes sparkling.  
  
The rest of the train ride was spent talking and getting to know the new girl who turned out to be very sweet and very easy to get along with. The group lost track of time and were only brought back to reality when they felt the train begin to slow down.  
  
"Oh no! We have to change into our school robes! Hurry, I don't think there is much time left before we get to Hogwarts!" said Izzie, closing the door behind the boys who had gone to wait outside while the girls changed. Lily was surprised to see that when Amathea pulled on her school robes there was already a golden coat of arms sewn onto the black material.  
  
"Do you already know what house you are in?" asked Lily gesturing to the crest.  
  
"No," said Amathea with a light laugh, "though it would save me a lot of nervousness. That is my family's coat of arms, all my clothes are embroidered with it. In Switzerland it is customary for well known families to always bear a coat of arms or family crest. It acts as an identification. For example, if I were to show up at a restaurant I would show the owner my family's crest and I would be seated at the table my family always has reserved. It makes things less of a hassle."  
  
"Wow, you really get the VIP!" said Lily, shocked to say the least.  
  
"Yes, I suppose you could say that." Amathea said pulling her hair into a low messy bun.  
  
"Oy! Girls! We'd like to get changed sometime before 7th year!" shouted Sirius from the hallway. Lily, Izzie, and Amathea laughed and slid open the compartment door only to find James, Remus and Peter pulling on their robes. James grinned at the girls as he placed his glasses back on and said  
  
"There was nobody in the hall and we figured we should just change here. Sirius, however, felt that it would be too much of a predicament if someone were to glimpse him in the process of taking of his clothing."  
  
"Some people wouldn't be able to handle it!" cried Sirius in his defense. The girls just laughed and moved aside to allow him to have the compartment to himself.  
  
"Was Sirius really worried about being seen?" asked Amathea.  
  
"Naw, Sirius couldn't care less if people saw him in the nude. We made him keep watch for us." replied Remus.  
  
"I'm ready for my debut!" called Sirius. Izzie rolled her eyes and slid the door back open. Just as Lily was walking through the doorway the train ground to a halt giving her a little lurch. Had Sirius's leg not been tangled about her ankles she probably wouldn't have fallen back onto James, ripping her robes on the door latch on her descent.  
  
"Lily! Are you ok?" asked James lowering the redhead in his arms down to the floor. Lily began to perch herself up on her elbows while Peter jumped up to fetch Lily's wand, which she had dropped in her fall. However Peter had forgotten about the trunks overhead and bumped one with his shoulder by accident sending it hurtling towards Lily's head.  
  
"Yeah, I'm f----" with a loud clunk the wooden trunk made contact with Lily's forehead and she fell limp with unconsciousness. James's eyes widened and he shoved the trunk off of Lily.  
  
"Lily! Lily wake up! Lily!" he began to shout as the others crowded around. He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and started shaking her motionless body. Panic started to consume his voice. "Lily! Come on! No! Lily!"  
  
"No..." whispered Izzie, "No this can't be happening..." 


End file.
